Statements from Ahmed Attar/ Master Musicians of Joujouka/Master Musicians of Jajouka re Bachir Attar's false claims and the Master Musicians

Hello every body I'm Ahmed Attar. I'm ready to answer these questions:

Bachir Attar and his manager, Cherie Nutting state that he is the one true and hereditary leader of the Master Musicians. They say he inherited his leadership from his father. This would mean his father was also hereditary leader?

Ahmed Attar: Bachir Attar has gathered retired people (military who play Gaita) from Ksar el Kebir (N.B. this is the nearest city to Joujouka / Jajouka / Jajouka) and outside, and has become their leader. He has no connection with us, the Mallimin/Masters who live in Joujouka / Jajouka.

How do the Master Musicians chose a leader?

Ahmed Attar: For many years the musicians chose the leader with the agreement of anyone in the group for a period of 1 year; or more if he worked well, or they change him for another one.

Who were the last five or ten leaders of the musicians and when were they elected?

Ahmed Attar:

The leaders were:
Elghailani Mohamed (dead), (1956),
Zekiken Ahmed (dead), (1958),
Mejdoubi Mohamed(dead), (1964),
Attar Ayachi (dead), 1965 (Editors Note: father of current leader Ahmed Attar),
Twimi Ahmed(dead), (1967),
Ghailani Mefedal(1971)
Abdeslam Attar (Djinnoun Bachir's father, in 1978 leader for 3 years ).
Attar Abdeslam Ali (alive he has 98 years old)(1983),
Attar Mohamed (dead) 1990
, and me Attar Ahmed (called Titi). 1999


plus who was never the leader but he a big musician who works with us Retoubi Mefedal (alive)


Does leadership pass from father to son?

Ahmed Attar: The leadership doesn't pass from father to son because we find several leaders and their sons have no relation with this music but if the son wants to be a musician he can , but not a leader automatically.

What does the leader do?

Ahmed Attar: The leader has to be: clear, confident, skilful and know how to promote the music, and to discuss with people who want to celebrate ceremonies. He is the speaker for the musicians.

Is Bachir Attar the hereditary leader?

Ahmed Attar: Bachir exploits his English language (because none of us musicians speak English) to claim to be a leader with power ,with help of his ex-wife, but no one in Joujouka trusts in Bachir because he stole their money. The big manager was Hamri the painter of Joujouka / Jajouka / Jajouka .In this time all the musicians worked together with Hamri not Bachir. One day Bachir with his brother forced Hamri to make him give them contracts which Hamri had made with the Westerners. They forced Hamri to sign blank sheets of paper. From this day the musicians of Joujouka / Jajouka have no relation with Bachir. (Editors note: This attack took place 27 December 1995)

How does Bachir Attar hurt the traditional music of the village of Joujouka / Jajouka Does he play the same music as the Masters in the village? in style and quality. How is his music different from the music played by the Masters in the village?

Ahmed Attar: When Bachir uses other instruments, he hurts the spiritual music. The Masters Musicians of Joujouka / Jajouka play only the pipes and drum (ghaita and tbel) with no instruments added. When you add other instruments, the music loses its quality.

Is he considered a true Mallim/Master by the Master Musicians?

Ahmed Attar: He isn't because in his group there are some musicians who play better than Bachir. He leads them because he speaks English and gives them some work.

Can the musicians explain why Bachir Attar says they are fake, or impostors?

Ahmed Attar: He says that because he wants to be the only representative of the music of Joujouka / Jajouka so as to exploit the Master Musicians name and to gain money. That's clear because the only one in Joujouka / Jajouka who has a big car (4/4) and a big house and a big account in the bank is Bachir Attar.

What would the Masters like to say to people who claim Bachir Attar is the true leader of the Musicians?

Ahmed Attar: Whoever wants to know more can come to Joujouka / Jajouka to see Bachir’s house and where the others musicians live. We are poor and he became rich because he takes our money. In Joujouka / Jajouka no one talks with Bachir. He is alone. Who can lead people when the people are boycotting them???

How much damage has Bachir Attar's behaviour done to the village?

Ahmed Attar: He makes damage in the media abroad, but in Joujouka / Jajouka all the people know him. We play in religious and civil ceremonies, in festivals, for parties of the KING that's why here in Morocco they don't call Bachir Attar to play they call us.

The letter from the Southbank Centre states that the musicians who played in London are the same ones who played with Ornette Coleman in January 1973. Is this true? Who in the village alive today played with Ornette Coleman in 1973?

Ahmed Attar: This not true because all of them are Dead. There is only one musician still alive in Joujouka / Jajouka who played with Ornette Coleman in 1973 (Ali Abdeslam Attar, you can come to ask him, he did not go to London this year).


Ahmed Attar 5 August 2009

Interview conducted and translated by Mohamed Karbach





Editors Note:

In recent years there has been a lot of misinformation about the Master Musicians of Joujouka who have also been known as Master Musicians of Jajouka, which the musicians have not commented on. The Masters who live and play in their village do not speak languages other than their native Riffian Arabic or Djebli.

For the first time ever the current leader of the Master Musicians Ahmed Attar has answered a series of questions which address the issue of leadership of the Masters and also the claims of his first cousin, Bachir Attar, who records and tours as Master Musicians of Jajouka featuring Bachir Attar and Master Musicians of Jajouka led by Bachir Attar claiming to be the leader of the Master Musicians of Jajouka.

In order to shed some light on these issues a series of questions were sent to the Masters and an interview was conducted and translated by Mohamed Karbach who is a son in law of a Master Musician.

The above statements show that at no time in his life was Bachir Attar the accepted or elected leader of the Master Musicians of Joujouka/Jajouka.

In the period he claims to have taken over the leadership the leader was Mallim Ali Attar and he was followed in the role by Mohamed Attar, and then the current leader Ahmed Attar from 1999.

Ahmed Attar in the Sanctuary of Sidi Ahmed Schiech, Jajouka/Joujouka/Zahjouka, July 29 2008.